| Winner | Lactalis-Mainland Dairy |
| Marketing initiative | Taking Protein+ to the masses |
| Marketing partners | TBWA, Essence Mediacom, Kantar |
| Finalists | Asahi Beverages, Lion NZ, Whittaker’s (two initiatives), Zuru Group |
| Judges’ comments | “A brilliant all-round entry. The judges were unanimous in praise for the market insights, gap analysis and cross-company interaction producing outstanding business results that continue to grow the category and add true business value. Textbook FMCG marketing.” |
This category is sponsored by Dish magazine.
Protein+ on the go
Kiwis were aware they needed protein, so adapting to changing meal habits was the key to Anchor’s strategy.
The launch of Anchor Protein+ in 2017 showed that consumers would pay a premium for protein in everyday dairy.
However, by 2025, while the brand had grown into a $30 million+ business, household penetration remained at just 18%, placing a clear ceiling on future growth.
Two converging market insights shaped the opportunity and the marketing strategy.
First, protein awareness had moved firmly into the mainstream, but behaviour had not kept pace.
Healthy adults should consume approximately 90g of protein per day, yet more than half of New Zealanders were getting most of their protein in a single sitting, their evening meal.
Second, eating habits had fundamentally shifted, with snacking taking on a bigger part of Kiwi diets. As traditional meals declined and routines fragmented, on-the-go and between-meal moments became the main growth engine in food.
Despite this shift, dairy had a low association with snacking, placing Protein+ at a disadvantage versus highly portable protein bars and energy drinks.
Together, these insights reframed the challenge: the problem was not demand, but accessibility.
Simple, tasty, all-day power-up
The strategy was to reposition Anchor Protein+ as a simple, tasty, all-day power-up – sustaining energy for real life, not just workouts. This strategy informed every element of the marketing mix.
Protein+ Yoghurt Pouches and Protein+ Shake extended the brand into on-the-go formats typically owned by protein bars and energy drinks.
The target audience was broadened to all people 18-54 and sharpened to ‘Kiwi optimists’: busy, positive people who value health without being pedantic about nutrition. Their daily reality is a constantly growing to-do list, where good intentions often lose out to convenience.
The strategy repositioned Protein+ as relevant on more occasions, driving penetration and frequency while staying true to the brand’s dairy strengths. It saw Protein+ Shake reach nearly 6% penetration, more than double its target, from a zero base.
Within just 12 months, Anchor Protein+ grew into a much larger brand, delivering several million in incremental retail sales value, over three times the original growth ambition.
This story comes from NZ Marketing magazine issue 88, Sept-Nov 2026. Why not subscribe? Get four issues a year for just $50 (including delivery) if you autorenew.
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